Letters: Living with coyotes

Re “Neighbors on coyote watch,� Column, Sept. 4

Sandy Banks’ column on watching out for the coyotes lurking in her Northridge neighborhood has some good suggestions but is a bit alarmist.

Yes, people need to take precautions, as coyotes and unleashed dogs can be a real threat to our pets. But did you know rodent poisons are killing mountain lions as the poisons work up the food chain? Indeed, a neighbor’s actions can be far more dangerous than a coyote.

Hazing is a good way to keep coyotes afraid of us. Chances are high that when coyotes are bold, someone is feeding them.

Take responsibility for your pets, harass coyotes and make sure your neighbors are not luring them with garbage, pet food, fallen fruit or by intentionally feeding wildlife.

Bee Simpson

South Pasadena

Residents can protect their animal companions from coyotes, traffic, poisons and the many other perils lurking outdoors by keeping their animals indoors and allowing them outdoors only on a leash or in a fenced area, under constant supervision.

You can discourage coyotes from frequenting yards by never feeding wildlife, making sure that all trash is tightly lidded, trimming bushes and mowing lawns to reduce hiding places, and never leaving food out for companion animals. Keeping outdoor lights on and using scare tactics such as motion-activated sprinklers can also deter coyotes. Once the area is unappealing, coyotes will move on.

Jodi Minion

Norfolk, Va.

The writer is a wildlife biologist at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

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